MEET THE LAB
Carrie Partch (CV)
Principal Investigator
Email Address: cpartch@ucsc.edu
Superpower: Prolific consumption of caffeinated beverages
I graduated from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill with a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Biophysics, where I worked with Aziz Sancar to study the molecular basis of circadian rhythmicity. I went to the 'dark side' for my postdoctoral fellowship, training in biophysical techniques including solution NMR spectroscopy at UT Southwestern Medical Center. I worked with Kevin Gardner to identify novel structural regulatory motifs on the hypoxia-inducible transcription factor, HIF, and with Joe Takahashi, to study the related bHLH-PAS transcription factor that drives circadian rhythmicity, CLOCK:BMAL1. In our lab, we strive to address these questions: How do animals measure time and use it to control biology on a daily basis?
José Costa
Visiting Scholar
Superpower: I’m always hungry.
I am an engineer in molecular biotechnology from the Universidad de Chile, where I studied antibiotic-resistant bacteria in natural environments. I am currently doing my PhD at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, studying the molecular mechanism of the circadian clock of the fungus Neurospora crassa, in particular, the post-translational regulation of the enzyme casein kinase 1 (CK1). That line of research led me to Partch Lab, where I was welcomed as an intern to continue unraveling the mysteries
behind CK1 regulation.
Priya Crosby
EMBO Long-Term Postdoctoral Fellow
Ph.D., MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology
Email address: prcrosby@ucsc.edu
Superpower: I have an encyclopedic knowledge of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'
I graduated from St. Catharine's College, Cambridge in 2013 with a BA in Natural Sciences (Pharmacology). I subsequently completed my PhD - entitled 'Metabolic regulation of circadian timekeeping' - at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, also in Cambridge, under the supervision of Dr. John O'Neill. Having decided that there were far too many interesting questions in circadian biology to stop quite yet, I joined the Partch Lab in 2018.
Irene Franco
NIH PREP post-baccalaureate fellow
Superpower: Keeping a straight face and being unintentionally sarcastic
I graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. In pursuit of a graduate degree, I have joined the Partch lab as a postbac, helping study PAS domains of core circadian clock proteins.
Ray Harold
Postdoctoral Fellow
Superpower: Whipping floppy protein tails into line
I graduated from the University of Montevallo with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Chemistry.
Rafael Robles
Graduate student
Superpower: Public speaking and using my abilities to teach students science!
Hi there! I graduated with my B.S. in Biochemistry from California State University, Fullerton. I’m also a first-generation college student and the first in my family to pursue a Ph.D.
Diksha Sharma
Graduate student
Superpower: A passion for PAS domains!
Becca Spangler
Joint graduate student with Jordan Ward's lab
Superpower: Making it all look so easy...
I graduated from San Jose State University with a B.S. in Biochemistry and a minor in Biology. In 2019, I joined the Partch lab to study the similarities between different biological time-keeping mechanisms.
Megan Torgrimson
Graduate student
Superpower: Bringing order to chaos
Former lab members
Dr. Jonathan Philpott, Biochemist, Unnatural Products
Daniel Wruck, B.S. UCSC, Research Associate, Sardona Therapeutics
Noelle Yaitanes, B.S. UCSC, Scientist, Wayfinder Biosciences
Isabella Aldama, B.S. UCSC, Scientist, Vaxcyte
David Segal, B.S. UCSC, Jr. Specialist, Fitnat Yildiz lab (UCSC)
Dr. Jeff Swan, Jane Coffin Childs Postdoctoral Fellow, lab of Liz Kellogg (St. Jude's)
Dr. Gian Carlo Parico (HHMI Gilliam Fellow); Scientist,Codexis
Crystal Garcia (NIH MARC Scholar), B.S. UCSC; MS program, SJSU
David Cardenas (NIH ACCESS Scholar), Hartnell College
Adriana Gracia (UC LEADS Scholar), B.S. UCSC
Andrea Ramos Coronado (IMSD Scholar), B.S. UCSC
Moriah Godes, B.S. UCSC
Dr. Jenny Fribourgh, Cell Biology Lead, Unnatural Products
Maria Ayala Hernandez (STEM Dreamers Scholar), B.S. UCSC; UC Davis Graduate Program
Diana Etwaru, B.S. UCSC; UCSF Graduate Program
Joseph Palacios (IMSD Scholar), B.S. UCSC; UCSD Graduate Program
Taylor Holt, B.S. UCSC
Britney Hernandez, B.S. UCSC; UCSC Chemical Screening Center
Dr. Sabrina Hunt; Research Scientist, Epicypher
Lauren Yee, B.S. UCSC
Dr. Efrain Ceh Pavia; Research Scientist, Planet Pharma/Grifols Diagnostics Solutions
Ivette Perez, B.S. UCSC (IMSD Scholar); Vanderbilt University Graduate Program / NSF Predoctoral Fellow
Kiernan Kringen, B.S. UCSC; Manufacturing Associate, BioMarin
Ali Yousefi, B.S. UCSC
Courtney Dailley, B.S. UCSC; University of Utah Graduate Program
Leslee Nguyen, B.S. UCSC; Stanford University Graduate Program
Priyanka Panchal (NIH ACCESS Scholar), B.S. UC Davis
Dr. Alicia Michael, Ph.D. UCSC; EMBO and HFSP Postdoctoral Fellow, Lab of Nico Thomä (FMI, Basel, Switzerland)
Divya Ramani, B.S. UCSC
Riley Mahn, B.S. UCSC
Dr. Hande Asimgil; Research Scientist, LMU Munich
Dr. Chelsea Gustafson, Ph.D UCSC; Professor, Dept. of Natural Sciences, South Puget Sound Comm. College
Niki Goularte, B.S. UCSC; Stanford University Dept. of Structural Biology Ph.D. program / NSF Predoctoral Fellow
Kyle Franks, B.S. UCSC; Inside Sales Representative, Thermo Fisher
Jansen Luu, B.S. UCSC; Manufacturing Associate, Biomarin
Ashley Kern, M.S. UCSC; Scientist, Wellnext
Chris Ahlbach, B.S. UCSC; M.D. program, UCSF Medical School
Marisol Sanchez (NIH ACCESS Scholar), UC Davis undergraduate
Nicole Parsley, B.S. UCSC; UNC Dept. of Chemistry Ph.D. program
Colby Sandate, B.S. UCSC; Ph.D, Scripps Research Institute (NSF Predoctoral Fellow); Postdoctoral Fellow, Nico Thomä (FMI)
Michael Sanchez (NIH ACCESS Scholar), B.S. UCSC
Dr. Stacy Harvey; Scientist, Ontera Biosciences
Jaclyn Schmitt, M.S., Cabrillo College, Adjunct Lecturer
Patrick Sammons, B.S. UCSC; M.D. program, USC Medical School
Hema Kopalle, B.A. UCSC; Neuroscience graduate program, UCSD
Kathy Huang, B.S. UCSC
Mariah Heller (NIH ACCESS Scholar), B.S. UC Davis
Kevin Hagy, B.S. UCSC; UCSC Dept. of MCD Biology Ph.D. program
Matthew Chung, B.S., UCSC; Research Assistant, Stanford University School of Medicine
Paul Wang, B.S., UCSC; Research Assistant, UCSF Center for Aging and Memory
Jessica Macias (NIH MARC Scholar), B.S. UCSC; CSUMB Dept. of Marine Science M.S. Program; SACNAS Administration